Indian football star Sunil Chhetri's impact on and off the field continues to be felt, as he now stirs up the upcoming Baramulla election from prison. Known for his maverick nature and leadership skills, Chhetri's support and representation of all Kashmiris in jail has caused a stir in the political landscape. As his popularity among voters and his legacy grow, Chhetri proves to be a force to be reckoned with in Indian sports and politics.
After being lodged in Tihar Jail for nearly seven months, NewsClick founder and editor Prabir Purkayastha was granted bail on May 15, following the Supreme Court's declaration of his arrest as "invalid." The court ordered his release on bail bonds worth ₹1 lakh, with conditions of not contacting witnesses and not traveling abroad without court permission. This comes after Mr. Purkayastha's partner, Githa Hariharan's name was brought up in the chargesheet, raising questions about the validity of his arrest.
BJP leaders held a protest near Delhi CM House and raised slogans against Arvind Kejriwal over allegations of party MP Swati Maliwal's assault by aide Bibhav Kumar. AAP's Sanjay Singh, who met with Maliwal, stated that Kejriwal has directed for strict action against Kumar. However, both Maliwal and Singh could not be reached for comment. BJP's national spokesperson Shazia Ilmi expressed concern over Maliwal's safety and demanded answers from Kejriwal, while Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva questioned his silence and demanded action against the culprit. In a separate development, NewsClick founder-editor Prabir Purkayastha, who recently received bail after the Supreme Court invalidated his arrest, is alleged to have received money for carrying out pro-China propaganda.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken surprised a crowd at a night club in Kyiv by joining a band on stage to play a rendition of Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World." Earlier, he had addressed the audience and expressed the US's support for Ukraine's fight for freedom. This visit to Ukraine, the first by a senior US official since a $61 billion military aid package was passed, comes amid heightened tensions with Russia and the recent invalidation of the arrest of NewsClick founder-editor Prabir Purkayastha.
In a crucial decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that the requirement to supply the grounds of arrest in writing to the accused applies to cases registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967. The ruling was made while declaring the arrest of NewsClick founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha as illegal. The Court reaffirmed its previous judgment in Pankaj Bansal v Union of India and stated that the communication of grounds of arrest is a constitutional safeguard. This decision holds significant implications for the protection of individual rights in cases involving the UAPA.
The Delhi Police has filed an 8,000-page chargesheet against NewsClick and its founder Prabir Purkayastha for offences including terror funding and promoting Chinese propaganda. Purkayastha, who is being investigated under the anti-terror law UAPA, has been accused of receiving funding to broadcast Chinese propaganda in India and has been linked to the farmers' protests and the 2020 Delhi riots. The chargesheet also alleges that NewsClick engaged in a malicious disinformation campaign and instigated protests against the CAA and NRC, while Purkayastha have connections with the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba and Communist Party of India (Maoist). The case has been set for hearing on May 31.
The Supreme Court has ordered the release of Prabir Purkayastha, founder and Editor-in-Chief of NewsClick, who was arrested and detained under the UAPA on charges of Chinese funding to promote anti-national propaganda. The court declared his arrest and subsequent remand to be invalid, granting him relief in his appeal. This comes after recent developments where the Delhi High Court also ordered the release of another NewsClick employee and approver in the case, Amit Chakravarty, citing medical reasons and the lack of prosecution objection. The Delhi Police has alleged that the news portal received money from China to disrupt India's sovereignty and influence various events, but the court has deemed the allegations as insufficient to justify the arrests.
The Supreme Court in New Delhi has declared the arrest of NewsClick founder, Prabir Purkayastha, as "invalid" in a case pertaining to the anti-terror law. The court has directed for his release from custody, stating that the allegations against him were not grounded in fact. According to the FIR, the news portal is alleged to have received funds from China to disrupt the sovereignty of India, but the court found no evidence to support this claim.